Outdoor Management Development is a concept, based on experiential learning theory, and combines several tasks and activities conducted in the outdoors, with the purpose of facilitating management development and improving organizational processes. The mainstream literature is primarily concerned with the effectiveness of training programmes and the quantifiable observation of performance. Thus, it is strongly biased towards positivism and functionalism. The purpose of our paper is to provide an overview of the literature, and to develop a critical perspective on the concept. We argue that Outdoor
Management Development must not be seen as a neutral management tool, but is subject to specific social and political contexts. It should be seen as an emergent process and approached with reflexive awareness. We argue that reflexive practice may be capable of dealing with the issues of context, politics and process, we are discussing throughout the critical part of this paper.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Abstract
- Introduction
- The state of the field
- What makes OMD so powerful?
- The historical roots of OMD
- What is OMD?
- The objectives of OMD
- Characteristics of an effective OMD programme
- Different types of OMD programmes
- Organizational factors of success and potential barriers to learning transfer
- Towards a critical perspective
- Against a purely functionalist and technocratic view of OMD
- Against a decontextualised view of OMD
- Against a depoliticised view of OMD
- Towards a processual understanding of OMD
- Reflection, reflexive practice, and their implications for OMD: Some conclusive remarks
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the Outdoor Management Development (OMD) literature and to develop a critical perspective on the concept. The authors argue that OMD should not be seen as a neutral management tool, but rather as an emergent process influenced by specific social and political contexts. The paper emphasizes the importance of reflexive practice in addressing the issues of context, politics, and process within OMD.
- The effectiveness of OMD training programmes and their impact on organizational performance.
- The historical development and conceptualization of OMD as a management development tool.
- The critical evaluation of OMD from a functionalist, technocratic, decontextualized, and depoliticized perspective.
- The importance of a processual understanding of OMD, where development is contingent and emergent.
- The role of reflection and reflexive practice in addressing the challenges of context, politics, and process within OMD.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first part of the paper, "the state of the field," provides an overview of the available literature on OMD. This section explores the factors that contribute to the power of OMD, tracing its historical roots and offering a definition. The objectives of OMD are outlined, along with characteristics that determine the effectiveness of an outdoor training programme. The authors also discuss different types of OMD programmes, organizational factors of success, and potential barriers to learning transfer. The section concludes with a critique of OMD from a functionalist perspective, as presented in mainstream literature.
The second part of the paper, "towards a critical perspective," challenges functionalist and technocratic assumptions about OMD. The authors argue that managerial skills are context-dependent and complex, and that OMD cannot be viewed as a neutral technique. They propose a processual understanding of OMD, emphasizing the importance of becoming a competent manager rather than simply being one. The chapter concludes by examining the concepts of reflection and reflexive practice as a means of addressing the complexities of context, politics, and process within OMD.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of the text include: Outdoor Management Development, experiential learning, management development, critical perspective, functionalism, technocracy, decontextualization, depoliticization, processual understanding, reflection, reflexive practice, organizational learning, and organizational performance.
- Citation du texte
- Stefan Aufschnaiter (Auteur), Matthias Wurzenrainer (Auteur), 2010, Outdoor Management Development, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/165898
